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Election Projection
November 8, 2016
— 2 Comments
Pogo predicts
I am not making a prediction on the outcome of the election. Projection in this instance refers to the defense mechanism of projecting our own faults onto others. This is one of the common ways we control our environment and defend our self image. They include denial, intellectualization, repression, regression, displacement, compensation, and projection, also sometimes called transference. I took a quiz the other day that has disturbed me. Here it is. It may disturb you too. I scored a few points in regression and intellectualization and my highest score was in projection. I understand that his quiz is not a shrink and there is nothing conclusive about how I defend my position. I instantly became angry at the idea that I project blame on others because that is what I dislike about others….well, there it is….. some crazy downward cycle of blame operating in my very own psyche. I am contributing to our mutual distrust and blame my own self. This is known as the shadow…the hidden secrets we hide even from ourselves. Kooky stuff. This political season has damaged us all with the nasty rhetoric and new levels of dirty tricks.
It is very easy in this political environment to slip into a simplistic view about how “the other” is ruining everything. As a nation we will go even more haywire than we are now if we can’t see this blame game as the destructive habit it is. Language about reaching across the aisle will fall on deaf ears if we don’t take a close look into our own hearts and minds. We have met the enemy and he is us. We all have some work to do. Mother Nature is watching.
Pogo predicts
Weekend Coffee Share, Defining Intelligence
November 5, 2016
— 10 Comments
Cyclovia
bike cops
If we were having coffee I would tell you all how happy I am to be able to visit with all my invisible friends around this coffee table and around the world each weekend. Sharing a few details of our personal lives shifts the attention away from politics and impending doom. Please select a tea of your choice from the wide selection of white, green, herbal and roiboos. I am drinking white strawberry tea on ice because I had plenty of coffee earlier. Help yourself to a cup of medium roast coffee, or some hot spiced apple cider. Apples and nuts are here for our snacking pleasure. Make yourself at home and tell me how your week has gone. Did you have an eventful Halloween?
Here, the Halloween decorations are down and the cover has been removed from the wood stove. I have removed curtains for the winter to let in extra light during the day. I found some solar lights on super discount at Amazon and responded by ordering three new strings to go with the purple ones I had in the front yard for Halloween. Now my front and back yards are all a twinkle when the sun goes down so early. This somehow makes me very happy even though we may be hurdling toward the end of days of our political system. I can count on the solar energy to delight me with twinkling even if our electrical grid is attacked by hackers. I am easily amused, and that is a damn good thing. I am making the most of the comedy available in the political situation. The agony and the ecstasy of this time is unprecedented because there is plenty of information, but intelligence is hard to discern.
Intelligence has two distinct meanings as a noun. It means the ability to acquire skills and knowledge, as in one’s native intelligence. Intelligence is also used to refer to the collection of information of a political or military nature. We have a federal bureau to handle the collection of domestic intelligence. It is called the Federal Bureau of Investigation. We have WikiLeaks for leaking evidence to the public. We have political parties to dig up dish on the opponents and scorch the earth. There is no time remaining before the election to sort out fact from fiction. The assault of too much information does not result in intelligence. It simply overflows the available space with claims and contentions. It may be the antithesis of intelligence.
I voted as soon as my ballot arrived, so my focus has been on enjoying my community and friends to the max right now. I ran into an old friend last Sunday at our community bicycle event, Cyclovia. We had a great time biking around to the different venues. Her mom lives along the route, so we stopped to visit there as well. We went to the display and blind water tasting at Watershed Management Group, right near her mom’s home. We scored free tickets to a cocktails and cuisine event inspired by rainwater. We each get a free rainwater cocktail on Nov. 29. I look forward to that unique party. I think my friend’s mom may become a volunteer there too. It was a fun and educational exhibit. We biked on and ran into some bike cops who restored some of my faith in authority. They were joking around and having fun with the crowd. This is the kind of community event that unites all ages and walks of life to have a good time meeting each other. If you ask me, that is intelligent. We could use some bigger doses of this kind of intelligence.
Good luck to all coffee sharers surviving this next week. I look forward to hearing what is happening where you live. Check in with Diana to keep up with the coffeeesharing. Join us by writing a post, or just leaving your 2 cents. What is up with you, gentle reader?
model of watershed
my decorated bike
free rainwater on tap tickets
The Rapids Of Rage
November 3, 2016
— 2 Comments
a country divided
We are being swept away by strong currents of blame and hatred projected onto others. There is a pendulum of possibility swinging from reality to unreality. We treat this as if our perception at any given time is good, and all other positions are evil. This leads us all into delusional thinking. Everything is the fault of the beings on the other side of the swiftly flowing river of anger that divides us. The blame game has been elevated to epic proportions while our social fabric has been torn. Collective invisible enemies are everywhere, like Pokemon. I believe we all contribute to this dangerous state of affairs. The very belief that some other entity is responsible for our problems is at the root of all our problems. We the people are the problem as well as the solution.
The politicians use the phrase reaching across the aisle to say they compromise. The rhetoric has become so toxic and harmful to our mood that general malaise has turned to a much more confrontational tone. To say this election cycle has robbed the entire nation of happiness in 2016 is an understatement. It has been detrimental to confidence in our government, both at home and abroad. Our image is tarnished. Our belief in our own ability to cooperate is diminished to the point of hopelessness. We the people are sick and tired of politics, ignoring the fact that we ARE politics.
Please vote, then devote your own personal energy into understanding “the other side”, whatever that may be for you. Our codependent lifestyle, in which we all want everyone else to be different while we stay the same, is unsustainable. We must find unity or drown in this violently churning whitewater of wild schemes and devises. Some think we are at the end of days. Revelation 9:5
And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.
We have been tormented to the point of madness. Let the stings of hateful mud slinging cease. Let us find peace. We are officially hitting rock bottom in this democracy. We must have a bounce from this awful experience. This is a sink or swim moment for us. We are all relieved about the end of the election cycle, but nobody is particularly thrilled about the outcome, whatever it may be. We all create this mess with our thoughts, beliefs, and actions.
Weekend Coffee Share-Urban Pride
October 29, 2016
— 3 Comments
TenWest Festval
If we were having coffee I would tell you about my exciting week attending events at the TenWest Festival. This Tucson startup/tech conference is a tiny infant version of South by Southwest, the festival in Austin that has grown exponentially. The 30 year old Austin festival is the Tucson Gem Show of trendy startup tech parties. I have not attended, but would no longer really want to go just because it is so crowded and popular. Our own home grown business incubator has organized the Tucson festival around our unique qualities.
The keynote I attended was the one about our designation by UNESCO as a city of gastronomy. I knew about it, but was interested in how it came into being and what it would mean for the city in real terms. A well known local chef, an archaeologist, a writer, a tourism PR professional, and the director of the Mission Garden spoke on the subject. We received the designation because a group spearheaded by the archeological interest group proved to UNESCO that Tucson had the oldest agricultural history in the country, documented to be more than 4,000 years in existence. The first application was rejected, but the committee gave some guidance about how to strengthen it in order to be designated. On the second try we got the coveted city of gastronomy designation. It is much more than just a vibrant restaurant scene, as our speakers explained. Food and sustainability are big interests of mine so the presentation fascinated me. I took my neighbor Heidi to that day because she is also a food diva.
Heidi and I attended two workshops before the keynote that pretty well blew our minds. The first on 3 D printing was presented by an architecture professor from U of A and an engineer currently engaged in the field of 3 D printing. We saw examples both on the screen and on the display table of objects created by 3D printers. The capability to produce small individual manufactured products has become not only affordable but incredibly controllable. I was highly enlightened by this class because my previous understanding was zilch.
After a delicious lunch we went to a presentation by Jerzy Rozenblit, PHD, a professor of surgery at the medical school at U of A. He is developing a simulator for surgeons to practice laparoscopic surgery. This is needed because it takes time and practice to become proficient in this art. Currently this practice takes place on live humans. The obvious benefit of more training before reaching into a living person became clear when we saw examples of the training data. The students “under the hood” have to learn to smooth out their movements while maneuvering two long instruments to do an operation. The tracking device on the simulator shows how erratic and out of control the student can be on initial attempts. Over time (an estimated 300 hours is needed to become really good at this) the sensor shows the device going smoothly and directly to the target organ in the body. This work will definitely save some lives.
I took two very well presented workshops on podcasting. We learned both about the popularity and effectiveness of the trend, but the specifics of getting started. Our teachers were working professionals in the field of marketing and audio engineering. The sessions were jam packed with information, and like all the presenters they invited the audience to visit them in person or on line to stay in touch. They could not have been more cordial. The fellow participants I met were equally charming and insightful. I feel sure this even will grow. I am pleased I went to see what they are doing this year. I am proud of my city’s efforts to stay on the cutting edge of technology, art and community. The major funding comes from Cox Business, which deserves a lot of credit for serving our local businesses so well. They gave away $50,000 in a shark tank style contest as well as funding much of the activity during the festival. I am their customer, so i like seeing some of the profit be plowed directly back into innovation in Tucson.
Tomorrow is Cyclovia, a super fun bicycle event taking place close to my home. I don’t always go on my bike, but this time it starts at my beloved Tucson Botanical Garden, where all participants will be invited to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit gratis. I am a local first kind of person. I like to support my local merchants and non profits because my own quality of life depends on it. I have been very uplifted by my city this week, as I will be tomorrow biking around in summer weather with my fellow Tucsonans. We live in a fabulous city with diverse cultural and commercial interests.
I am serving both coffee and tea this weekend. Please help yourself. I am drinking medium roast coffee right now to jump start this day. There is a lavish buffet of finger sandwiches, potato salad, raw vegetables, the pickles I made last week, stuffed peppers, and vegetable stew. I picked up another 60 pounds of produce again today and can use your help in eating it all. I am starting my first fermented pickles later from the beautiful pickling cucumbers I just scored. I have fermented lots of foods, but never tried pickles. Wish me luck with this chemistry experiment. You will be able to taste them some weekend soon. I am going to focus on heavy garlic and dill flavors.
What has been happening in your part of the world, gentle reader? If you want to share, or read personal tales from writers visit our group here, at Diana’s weekend international coffee share. Pour yourself a cup, fill your plate, and stay a while. Tell us what is on your mind.
#WeekendCoffeeShare
Tracking The Victim Archetype
October 27, 2016
— 5 Comments
birth chart
Carolynn Myss defines the victim archetype in her Sacred Contracts course as one of the essential characters we all embody at some point in our lives. There are four survival archetypes present in all of us representing life challenges and our methods of maintaining self-esteem. These four are child, victim, saboteur, and prostitute. The lesson each one offers pertains to use of power and self-image. The child is needy, showing us good reason to strive for learning and independence. The victim endures bullying of various kinds in order to learn courage. Eventually the victim teaches us how to recognize and stand up to bullies. The prostitute teaches the value of maintaining integrity. Once the prostitute recognizes the folly of selling him or herself for support of others, individual mature ethics are developed. The sabatuer archetype lets us know when we are working against our own best interests. Self sabotage can be avoided once we learn to spot it. These universal psychological traits can be traced through the stories of our lives, and interact with the other 8 archetypes in our make up.
I have gotten far enough in the course to have drawn my archetypal wheel, which is played out exactly like the wheel in an astrology chart. The number 12 was chosen because it already has meaning in astrology. In reality we all have more than 12 archetypes, an unknown number. To make a practical study and apply it in a personal way the student is asked to identify the 8 most pronounced archetypes present in our lives. Placing the archetype in a house creates a kind of map. The combination of the house and the character tell a story about an aspect of our nature as it reacts with a certain aspect of our circumstances.
I find it interesting to compare the symbolic characters in my astrology chart with those in my archetypal wheel. My victim is in the 12th house, which rules self undoing and our unconscious. In my astrology chart my 12th house is loaded. It contains Venus, North Node, Jupiter and Mars. If I believe these charts my shadow side must be a deeply intuitive victim. It is very hard for me to see myself as a victim, although I have a normal life with ups and downs. Our shadow is not our bad or undesirable part, but the part of ourselves about which we remain unaware. As I take up my course work I need to write essays about when and where I encountered these archetypes in my history. I met them in others and played them all myself. The goal of the course is to learn about the dynamics of the soul. I have my work cut out for me on this victim essay. It should prove to be very self revealing. Have you ever studied the archetypes, gentle reader? Astrology is based on archetypes assigned to each house and each planet. The symbols represent characters we can recognize as actors in our world. When you hear the word victim, who pops into your mind?
archetypal wheel
Downtown Tucson, Hipster Destination
October 25, 2016
— 1 Comment
street party space
registration
podcasting workshop
I traveled from midtown to downtown Tucson yesterday to attend the TenWest Festival. This week-long entertainment and educational event is sponsored by local businesses to promote the retention of talent in town. This miniature knock off of the 30 year old South by Southwest event that happens in Austin each year is a distinct reflection of our community. Volunteer staff organizes the flow of students, speakers, and social gatherings.
I attended two excellent workshops on podcasting. Both speakers were well prepared with visual aids and stimulating material. Best of all, they are both true experts in the field. Dave Young is a marketing and content professional who helps small businesses develop materials. He has been podcasting for and with his clients to bring their messages to the public. He explained the explosive growth in podcasting and some of the reasons for the popularity of audio programs. His very enlightening presentation was followed by a more technical workshop by Bjorgvin Benediktsson, a professional audio engineer. These classes continue all week. At the end of the day a keynote speaker and a social hour are planned each day. Our speaker and social hour were upstaged yesterday by a sudden thunderstorm.
This is an odd time of year for rain in Arizona, but about 10 minutes into the social hour we heard a very loud thunderclap echo between the tall buildings where we were stationed. Shortly the rain was pouring and the winds was whipping the signs and tents around like crazy. There was a river running through it. The volunteers all had to scramble to keep the stuff from blowing into the air and doing some damage. Since the bar was set up with a special permit that was only valid for the outdoor space the few of us who were outside had to chug our drinks and run into a building. There were two of us there who had umbrellas…I was proud to one of them. The party made an attempt at restarting inside the building, but most people had scattered to the hard driving wind. I called my Uber and made my way home.
I will go on Wednesday to learn about 3 D printing and artificial intelligence. The speaker and social hour will be about our city’s special gastronomic designation from UNESCO. The food peeps will be there, and we can only hope we will have clear skies. On Friday there will be TED talk and two concerts from which to choose. I love our little start-up convention, which is only in the second year of its existence. I believe it has major potential to achieve its goal and to bring visitors from out of town to the event in the future. Our downtown has been revitalized by a tram system, and is starting to be as hip as Austin. I hope we can retain our hipness without acquiring the traffic problem they have in Austin. Wish us luck.
Transforming Apathy To Empathy
October 19, 2016
— 1 Comment
fall flora
There is despair in the air. Our society’s collective adrenal gland is shot from the constant stress of our current political battle. Fight or flight, a reasonable healthy reaction to scary circumstances, has been exhausted by the season’s campaigns. We are sick of the fight, and there is no place to flee from reality. The blame and shade is flying freely. Our weary spirits are drained of faith hope and charity. By charity I mean extending the benefit of the doubt to those with whom we disagree. The most charitable act to make is to listen with care. The most civilized goal to set is mutual understanding. After this election we will still be living with each other, so our current problems will not vanish in November.
To dig ourselves out of this mess we will need to:
- Set much higher standards for performance from our lawmakers
- Scrutinize the taxation policies in order to reduce and eliminate loopholes
- Focus on improving education quality, and close predator private colleges
- Base health care payments on patient success rather than per procedure
- Find real solutions for our opiate and exotic prescription drug addiction
- Stop bickering about every little thing
This is a tall order, especially when everyone is bracing for total disorder. We have our work cut out for us after we finish counting votes. Our futures depend on our ability to listen, which means we will need to be quiet for a while. We will need to be still and know. How hopeful are you, gentle reader? I am optimistically neutral. We have survived tragedy in the past. This too will pass.
Say It in Latin, Caveat Emptor
October 18, 2016
— 2 Comments
cactus in bloom
The Latin phrase caveat emptor means let the buyer beware. This concept is a warning to all consumers that they have less information about the product in normal circumstances than the seller. Common law provides that the seller must deliver the goods, free of encumbrance by third parties, and that the goods must be suitable for the intended use. This applies to real estate contracts, where the seller may hoodwink an unsophisticated buyer into paying more for the property than it is really worth.
Once the deal has been closed there is very little the buyer can do other than regret the purchase. Property sold with obvious concealed flaws is difficult to return, and will involve legal fees and court costs. A couple from Europe bought their first home in our condo village and learned after the closing that the place was full of toxic black mold. I felt really bad for them because they were stuck with the home and the costly mold removal fee because they could not prove that the seller knew about the mold before the sale. A good inspector could have saved them before they signed that contract, but after the signatures, they were stuck. To prove fraud after the fact is much harder than catching it before the unfortunate purchase has been made.
In real estate sales it is common for both parties to employ agents to represent their interests. The buyer needs to be wary of the true intention of both agents, which is to make a sale from which they will cut a commission. The first time buyer can be confused by appraisals, financing, points, insurance, inspections, taxation, and by the contract itself. Emotional factors go into home buying that make this important decision very tricky from a financial standpoint. For many people the investment in housing is the biggest single investment the family makes. After the last housing meltdown and mortgage fraud this reality became clear to many who lost their homes.
If you consider purchasing a home that is governed by an HOA I urge you to fully investigate the corporation and its standards before you buy. Some are overly strict and micro manage. I live in a condo village that has had no management, standard operating procedures, or enforcement of our deed restrictions since I moved here. The governing board has drained the value from all the homes by neglecting the common areas and failing to properly manage and maintain our assets. This puts a real wrench in the works for shareholders who have pride of ownership. I would avoid buying any property that is governed by an HOA in the future. The system leaves much to be desired. I have learned this lesson the hard way. Have you ever made a disastrous investment due to factors beyond your control, gentle reader? It is a drag. Inform yourself. That goes for elected officials too.
Weekend Coffee Share, Of Poets And Politics
October 15, 2016
— 10 Comments
If we were having coffee I would invite you to sit down and tell me about your week over your favorite beverage. I am loaded with chai, roiboos, green, white, and herbal teas. For me, this season is perfect for jasmine roiboos. It is floral with a full rich flavor of harvest. Jasmine makes me swoon. Today is the full moon known as the hunter’s moon. There will be a lunar eclipse. With all that drama in the heavens I am sure some stories will be brewing down here on earth. What is happening in your world?
The story we all want to bring to an end is the election. The population is weary. We can’t take much more of this bickering. People are short-tempered about everything now. Any social discourse can end in controversy for no reason. I spent most of my time this week at home to try to avoid the total breakdown of society. Of course, this tactic was futile. I did write a few short poems, trying to get in the swing of a more productive practice as a poet. I am hoping to ease into a poem a day for life without setting a firm discipline…wondering if that will work. I bid adieu to my Audible account without regret, after my free three-month trial. Alexa is still able to read any book in my kindle library for which I purchase the audio component. Amazon has also launched a new free trial which I snapped up right away. Prime members can now pay 7.99 a month for access to the entire catalog of music in the Amazon system. This is very similar to the Apple music deal I took last year. I will not keep this one after my free month either. For the time being I am having Alexa play Bob Dylan songs. She can play his songs all day and never repeat herself. I am thrilled to fill my home with the works of our new Nobel Prize winner, Bob. In my youth I memorized all his songs and could play them on the guitar. He was an idol. He is inspiring me now to practice being a poet. His early songs are so funny and brilliant. Many fit perfectly with this election too. I am so glad he was not a lazy poet like I am.
The healthy trend continues in the kitchen. We had a tasty walnut spinach nut loaf this week, and I found a recipe for nut crisp crackers I believe will be the bomb. The only ingredients are ground up nuts of your choice and egg white. I look forward to rolling some out next week because I think they will replicate those nut crisp commercial crackers I love. I also discovered that the pesto shortbread dough makes a fine topping for savory cobbler dishes. I think the nut crackers could go either sweet or savory as a crust on the top to add crunching excitement. I am planning very nutty meals until all the old nuts have been consumed. I will let you know what I learn about preparing and eating nuts. We will learn everything there is to know about nuts on November 9. I wish everyone forbearance and wisdom.
To join the international coffee party this weekend click here. Read, write, opine with a group of congenial writers of all kinds.
October Full Moon — Rubys Readings
October 14, 2016
— 5 Comments
Monastery
October “Super” Full Moon October 15-16th, 2016 by Ruby The Full “Super” Moon in Aries is going to be strongly intense and at times erratic feeling. The Full Moon in October will grow full on Saturday at on October 15 at 11:23 PM CST and Sunday, October 16 at 12:23 AM EDT. So that’s late […]
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